The Mokhtar Hashim I briefly knew.

Thurs 19 Nov 2020.

" Brief" here refers to the depth of the acquintance, not the length. We knew each other on sight. We met many times, at different occassions, at different places as far apart geographically within the country as you could imagine. We have spoken to each other many times. But sadly, now that he's gone, it was never more than all that.

I saw Yazid Baba's sms to the Mubarak NS group yesterday morning, the morning that Mokhtar passed away. But Yazid simply said "Dato' Mokhtar" and it didn't connect to anyone in my mind at that time. It was a shock when I came home at noon and switched on my pc and saw it on the news.

My first introduction to Mokhtar was in 1965, about 55 years ago. (That's more than half-century). I had just registered myself as a "freshie" undergraduate at the University of Malaya, our first and only university then. We all gathered at the Arts Concourse, the largest covered space at the university, for a welcome by the faculty. (The Dewan Chanselor was still on the drawing board at that time). The University of Malaya Students' Union was represented by it's elected President, a third-year Science Faculty undergraduate who was a product of  the Malay College Kuala Kangsar - Mokhtar Hashim.

The last time I spoke to Mokhtar was at a Mubarak Malaysia AGM in Terengganu.  I sat next to him, in fact. He was already long pardonned of his tragic conviction at that time. He had a small hand bag with him, which he put on the table. I joked "apa dalam ? pistol ke ?" He good-humouredly laughed.

When I was the Felda Regional Controller in NS around 1976-77, I attended a function at Felda Bukit Rokan, and as the MP for the area Mokhtar was invited to attend as guest-of-honour, and he came.

When the NS delegation went to Tenom, Sabah for a political mission, around '97-'98 (I forget now) I went, and so did Mokhtar, who came as the State Treasurer. We stayed in the same hotel for the duration of the stay, but we all had our own different assignments, and I only met him when he was passing out the money for expenses etc.

Then very early in his political career, there was the funny incident at Mantin. As a Federal Minister, Mokhtar of course had his official car and driver. Late one night he was going home to KL from a visit to his constituancy. He chose to drive himself, going on the old Seremban-KL road. Somewhere near Mantin he had to stop for a pee. He asked his driver to take over, saying that he wanted to take a nap at the back as he exited the driver's seat. He forgot to say he wanted to do his business first. He went to the side of  the road. His driver went behind the wheel.  Mokhtar peed.  The  driver drove off.  Mokhtar must have been pissed !  Somehow he managed to contact the Police Station ahead (these were pre-mobile  phone days) and they stopped the car. When asked   "mana Dato'?" the driver said "tidor belakang".

So there you have it: the university in 1965; Bukit Rokan, in Gemencheh;  the Terengganu Hotel; Tenom, Sabah. Long and wide, but not close. The regret is mine.

I had spoken about his tragic court case to many friends, some of whom knew him very well. One of the key witnesses in the case was in fact a relative of mine, Nordin Johan, who was married to my second-cousin.  He has since passed away. Dato' Ismail Yassin, himself a lawyer, attended the case. He said the crucial and ultimately most damaging statement that Mokhtar made was agreeing to the prosecution's suggestion that his pistol was always in his care. Having had a pistol myself before, and once witnessing Dato Azhar's pistol falling out of his golf bag just as he was complaining to us that he had misplaced his pistol and would have to report it as soon as possible, I'm certain that Mokhtar could not have been in the control of his pistol 100% of the time. My question is, what legal advice did Mokhtar get?   Mokhtar himself told his father that he did not commit the crime. I believe him. He had no reason to get rid of Dato' Taha. Mokhtar was already a Federal Minister, and already the Divisional Head of UMNO where Dato' Taha, the State Assemblyman, was the Deputy. If it was the other way round, maybe there was motive.

Mokhtar used to have a house in Section 16, when I had a house in nearby Damansara Utama. He also used to have a house near the Felda HQ, where I worked. When I visited Annuar Hamdan in Ulu Ampang, around the Ampang Jaya area, there Annuar pointed out Mokhtar's house close by.

I don't wish to sound trifle, nor to debase the memory of an acquintence, and if a family member happens to read my notes, I submit my sincere apologies for any negative inference, for that is the opposite of the intent of these notes. I remember Mokhtar, and I pray to Allah that He Forgives him for his failings.  Amin.

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